1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal hardware used to connect to a terminal of a flat-type conductor, and to a method of making the terminal hardware.
2. Description of Related Art
A flexible flat cable (FFC) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) are known as flat-type conductors. For example, a construction of an FFC is described as follows. Plural strips of conductors are aligned in parallel and covered and pressed by insulating sheets from both upper and lower sides. Thus, the FFC is formed to have a flexible ribbon-shape. There are two methods to connect terminal hardware to each of the conductors of the FFC as described above: a method that connects the terminal hardware to the conductor covered by the insulating sheet, and a method that connects the terminal hardware to the conductor exposed on one side by peeling the insulating sheet of the terminal.
The latter method is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho. 63-73862, for example. As shown in FIG. 16, at the terminal of FFC 1, a predetermined amount of an insulating sheet 2 on the upper side is peeled, and a conductor 3 is exposed on the upper side. Terminal hardware 4 having a base plate 6 extending from a rear side of a connection portion 5 is provided to be connected to another terminal hardware. Further, a top plate 7 is integrally formed with the base plate 6 so as to face the base plate 6 and to be capable of being opened and closed with respect to the base plate 6. Claws 8 are provided at opposite side edges of the open end of the top plate 7.
A portion of the exposed conductor 3 is inserted between the base plate 6 and the top plate 7. The claws 8 pierce the FFC 1 and are crimped on the lower side to opposite side edges of the base plate 6. Thus, the FFC 1 is sandwiched between the base plate 6 and the top plate 7, and the top plate 7 is pressed against the conductor 3 to establish connection.
However, in the above-described method, since the entire surface of the flat-shaped top plate 7 contacts the conductor 3, the contact pressure becomes low. Thus, the reliability of electrical contact is poor.
Further, when a tension is applied in a longitudinal direction of the FFC 1, there is a possibility that the claws 8 separate from the FFC 1 (insulating sheet 2) and the terminal hardware becomes separated from the FFC 1, since the claws 8 are caught by the FFC 1 only at a portion where the claws pierce the FFC.
When a terminal hardware is connected to the conductor 3, which is exposed at a surface, there is a way to avoid the claws 8 piercing the FFC. In this case, the terminal of FFC is formed to have a comb-shape so that each portion where the conductor 3 is exposed is left as a tooth portion. The claws 8 hold the tooth portions of the comb-shape and are crimped thereto to fix the terminal hardware to the terminal of the FFC. However, the terminal hardware 4 is more easily separated from the terminal particularly in this case.
The present invention is provided to eliminate the above-described drawbacks. An objective of the present invention is to provide a terminal hardware for a flat-type conductor having a high contact pressure between a conductor and the terminal hardware, and a superior holding force against a tension to separate the terminal hardware from the terminal.